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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Fire damages house on Neil Creek Road outside Ashland ... Ashland police to host holiday safety tips presentation ... Mountain snow could affect Thanksgiving travel ... Fire damages house on Neil Creek Road outside Ashland ... Ashland police to host holiday safety tips presentation ... Mountain snow could affect Thanksgiving travel ... LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor, Nov. 21 Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Nov. 21, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Nov. 21, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Still filled with hope Hearing of the violence in the news, we may feel that the world is falling apart, that we are careening into chaos and that humans will never change their violent ways. An online search of the statistics, however, will reveal that violence of all kinds, from crime to war, has been in steady decline across the planet; not only for years and decades, but for thousands of years. At the same time, democratic and compassionate governance has been steadily increasing worldwide. Humanity is evolving and we are now living in the most peaceful time in human history. Violence is newsworthy simply because it is not the norm. I am struck with two opposing trends filling the current news. On the one hand, we see conservative movements from the Republican Congress to the ISIS jihadists, who, through a fear of losing touch with “the good old days” or the purity of their culture, are violently pursuing policies of “us and them.” On the other hand, we are seeing countless examples of human compassion and love. For example, throughout Europe, we see both governments and individuals extending aid and welcome to refugees from widely differing cultures. In Germany, which not so long ago was itself a bastion of ethnic cleansing in the name of cultural purity, tens of thousands are being welcomed in to become a part of the nation. France, which not so long ago would react violently if even so much as a foreign word were to enter its “pure” language, is now a vibrant cultural melting pot with 6 million Muslims residing within its borders. The inevitable effect of this intermingling of people throughout the world and of the vast increases in education and global communication is that our evolution as a human race will continue to accelerate. My hope is based on the notion that the people of the world must be noticing these opposing movements of love, compassion and inclusion on the one side, and hatred, violence and exclusion on the other. It seems not such a great leap to decide which one will lead us into our continued evolution as a human race. Will Sears Talent Unwelcome center I must take exception to the comments of Gary Leaming of the Oregon Department of Transportation as reported in the article of Nov. 19 concerning the construction of the Welcome Center. In no way did ODOT "respond satisfactorily to neighborhood concerns and grievances" as he stated. This project was narrowly approved by the Ashland City Council over strong opposition by a majority of the residents in proximity to the proposed location. It is still our opinion that this Welcome Center was poorly sited and should not be built. The city of Ashland showed poor judgment in furnishing water and sewer services to this unnecessary project in a period of extreme drought and we the citizens may pay a price in the future. John Cowles President, Oak Knoll Meadows HOA Thanks to Growers Market A great big thank you to all who participated in another Growers’ Market season. Thank you to the growers for the beautiful, healthy, delicious, interesting variety of produce you grew, harvested, cleaned up and displayed each week whether it was cold or windy or too hot or at a different venue. Thank you to all the vendors of plants and flowers and prepared food and jewelry and crafts and musicians and more. Thank you to the organizers. Thank you to everyone who adjusted to the weeks at ScienceWorks. Thank you to all the shoppers who make it possible for this community resource to keep going. And special thanks to the Balloon Man, whose colorful and cheerful creativity makes the market a special treat for kids, and adults too. I’ve heard there will be a winter market in Grants Pass and some of our growers will be there. Let’s support them. They are a treasure. With much appreciation, Selene Aitken Ashland DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Nov. 21, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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